The downloadable demo for EA Sports FIFA 15 is now available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, and Playstation 3.
We have, of course, been at it non-stop since the agonising wait to for it to download and install finished, and there are a number of new features that really tickled our fancy.
It's worth noting that many of these new features are exclusive to Xbox One and PS4, as EA Sports seems to be neglecting the older consoles in favour of pushing forward the new titles on the newer consoles. These clips were taken from the FIFA 15 Demo for Xbox One.
The new official Barclays Premier League presentation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9UTTr9vNzw
Now games between Premier League teams have an extra element of realism as everything is covered with a slick PremierLeague.com style skin, and the authenticity of Anfield is top notch.
Proper team-mate inclusive celebrations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcWc3vPlWa8
Finally! Now when you score a great goal, your team-mates will rush over to you and tell you how great you are with hugs and pile-ons. Gone are the days of groups of players awkwardly celebrating in close proximity to each other without acknowledging who scored the goal.
The new pause-screen cinematic highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOCAuPFJ2xw
This is a cool little feature that plays a very fancy highlights package cinematic when the pause screen is left idle for a few seconds. A nice touch.
Really, really nice improvements to ball physics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSQzohoiTa0
After scoring two lovely placed shots with Napoli, we sat there in awe of the slow-mo replays that show just how beautiful the new ball physics are. Finesse shots are well and truly back, and when they come off they are bloody gorgeous.
Much improved CPU artificial intelligence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8YD-fs_IyI
You don't often see someone upload a goal that the computer scored against them, but this is a perfect example of how intelligent the CPU AI can be if you're not careful. Playing against the CPU was painful on the high difficulties in recent FIFAs, so hopefully we see more of this and less patches of needless possession football.
Fantastic goalkeeper reaction saves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8tOyIl--Hc
Goalkeepers have been a huge focus in FIFA 15, and some of the reactions saves they can pull off are brilliant, like this save from a deflected shot.
The new Team Management screen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4viM4fqvJE
EA Sports have revamped the Team Management screen to be more visual and less text, which we are fully in support of. The developers also "borrowed" the skills graph system previously used in Pro Evo, and we couldn't be happier with it, it's the best way to quickly compare player stats.
FIFA 15 is shaping up to be a cracker, and we will have lots more FIFA content for you here on Balls.ie.
